The Evil God's Talent for Shaping Public Opinion

Just as the two of them were about to leave, a boy called out.

"Sir."

Su Yi turned and found Kilman gazing at him with bright blue eyes.

Kilman strode forward and dropped to his knees. "Thank you for your mercy and kindness."

"On behalf of my parents and younger siblings, who don't know the truth, thank you for what you've done!"

Su Yi smiled. "What's this? You're not afraid I'll take you away and make you a slave?"

Kilman's square face was solemn. "I believe someone like you would never take slaves."

After a pause, Kilman asked, "Sir, could I work for your company?"

"I know this area well. I have plenty of combat experience, good eyesight, and a sharp mind."

"I'm not bad at tracking, either. I already know what you discussed with those Human Alliance Heroes."

"I want to follow someone noble enough to shoulder blame while continuing to help others in silence."

Su Yi was delighted inside, but he kept up appearances, sizing Kilman up before speaking.

"You're in luck. Our company has just started out, and we do need to train a group of trustworthy newcomers."

Kilman lit up with excitement. "Really? Thank you! Thank you!"

After a pause, Kilman asked tentatively, "You said you needed a group?"

Su Yi gave a slight nod.

Kilman said eagerly, "I have some friends around here. They're as brave and determined as I am!"

"Like me, all they lack is an opportunity!"

Kilman's words struck a chord with Su Yi.

He had said the same thing to Iron Beetle, and to Rick just yesterday.

Su Yi said, "I hope you understand that this work is dangerous."

"This place is full of corruption and madness. I need you to become my fighters, forge a new order, sweep away those damned gangs, and kill the nobles who exploit the people!"

"There will be bloodshed and sacrifice. Do you understand?"

Su Yi had always known how to tailor his words to his audience.

For an underprivileged boy with dreams like Kilman, he needed to paint a grand vision that spoke to the boy's interests.

Far from frightening Kilman, those words made his eyes blaze.

"Sir! That's exactly the life I've been longing for!"

"If you'll take me in, I, Kilman Kalbanyan, will give you everything I have!"

Seeing the fire in Kilman's eyes, Su Yi decided the time was right. He turned to Sefni. "What do you think of him?"

Sefni looked pleased. "Not bad. He has potential."

Kilman froze. "But I thought this lady was..."

Sefni smiled. "I never said anything."

Su Yi said, "She's one of my most capable people—a powerful level-twenty-one Gifted."

"If you choose to follow me, she'll look after and train you in the future."

"Level twenty-one?!"

Kilman's skin prickled, and his heart began to race.

Someone that powerful was the stuff of legend to him!

Kilman nodded so vigorously his head blurred. "I will! I will!"

Su Yi nodded. "Good. Go home and tell your family what's happening."

"I'll come find you after I've helped the others settle their debts."

Kilman nodded respectfully. "Yes, sir."

After a pause, Kilman suddenly asked, "Sir, would you mind if I told people what you've done?"

"Someone as great as you shouldn't have to suffer this humiliation."

Su Yi waved a hand casually. "Do as you like. I only hid my identity to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings."

"It's not as if I've done anything wrong."

Kilman nodded firmly and hurried away.

Watching the grateful, inspired boy leave, Su Yi picked up his communicator. "Evil God, you can begin."

When Kilman returned home, everyone was overjoyed that Molly had received treatment.

When she saw him, Molly asked, "Brother, did you see what our benefactor looked like?"

Kilman took a deep breath. "I did."

The Kalbanyan Couple and the children immediately crowded around him. "What does he look like?"

Kilman said, "He's the company lackey who just got beaten up!"

"What?!"

"That's impossible!"

"Brother, don't lie to us!"

The Kalbanyan Couple could hardly believe it, either.

Kilman told them everything he had secretly witnessed.

The children stared at him, dumbfounded.

Molly suddenly exclaimed, "No wonder the wound near his eyebrow looked familiar! He's the wonderful man from yesterday!"

Carl Banyan murmured, "This... this feels like a dream."

Just then, a voice interrupted their astonishment.

They looked up to see a refined young man in a black clerical robe standing in the doorway, his hair neatly parted. It was the Evil God.

"May the Goddess of White Frost grant you lasting peace and happiness."

After that polite greeting, the Evil God asked a question.

"Have any of you seen this man?"

He produced a rather crude portrait.

They looked closely. It was the company lackey from earlier.

Mrs. Carl Banyan asked curiously, "Father Tentacle Priest, has this man done something wrong?"

In this neighborhood, the Evil God was not operating as a Human Alliance Hero. He posed as a priest representing the Revolutionary Army, bringing the common people together.

After two days in the area, he had become a familiar face to the locals.

The Evil God smiled. "Something wrong? Madam, surely you're joking."

"Some of my flock say their company debts were suddenly wiped out, and they even received some aid."

"But the man left in a hurry without giving his name."

"So they asked me to find this kind soul and thank him."

At that, the whole family became convinced Kilman had told the truth.

Kilman hurriedly said, "Sir, we just saw him! He went that way!"

The Evil God's eyes brightened. "Thank you, kind young man."

Kilman stepped forward. "Father, I know this area well. I'll show you the way!"

The Evil God smiled. "Wonderful!"

Molly and several other children hurried after them. "We're coming too!"

And so a group of seven or eight children, all around fifteen or sixteen, set off with the young priest.

The Evil God laughed to himself. Good. My imaginary flock has become real.

The flock he had mentioned earlier was entirely borrowed from the future.

This was a crowded neighborhood where people came and went constantly, and gossip spread fast.

All the Evil God had to do was borrow a few followers from the "future." Before long, new ones would believe what he had said.

Those followers would pass the story on again, and then a third time.

Once enough people repeated it, no one would care that the first group had never existed.

The Kalbanyan Couple watched the delighted children disappear, their hearts full of emotion.

"Could Miss Barrett's good deeds really be changing the borderlands?"

Mrs. Kalbanyan nodded. "I think so!"

While the family at the orphanage marveled at what had happened, the Evil God led the children north at an unhurried pace, following Su Yi and Winter's trail.

Along the way, Kilman—the children's leader in this neighborhood—told families and children who had been celebrating the company lackey's defeat the truth.

"Mr. Gheros is willing to bear everyone's misunderstandings."

"I've heard that he has ideals, a sense of responsibility, and the will to get things done."

"His wish is to restore order to the borderlands and bring hope to ordinary people..."

After the Evil God's telling, Su Yi had become a great man who kept doing good despite the insults and misunderstandings he endured.

He planned to build not only a hospital here, but a school as well, and to give the people jobs and hope!

More children joined the Evil God and Kilman, each of them full of hope.

By the time the sun was setting and Su Yi returned to the orphanage, more than fifty young people were waiting outside, gazing at him with admiration and longing!

Led by Kilman, these teenagers, their eyes shining with admiration, had already made Su Yi their idol.

They knew Su Yi was a kind and great man. They also knew he was an envoy of the exalted Miss Barrett!

He had lifted a dying child from the chaos, covered in blood.

He was also a Gifted skilled in medicine who had healed Molly's wound.

They knew, too, that he was a wealthy businessman willing to help ordinary people pay off their debts.

And this man might be their only chance to seize a future for themselves!